To serve at the altar, as to sing in the choir, is next to the priesthood the highest privilege which a layman can enjoy. He represents the faithful and takes a most intimate part in the rich treasures of the Church’s liturgy and ceremonial. Those sacred ceremonies should be carried out with devotion, dignity and attention to detail. – Bernard Cardinal Griffin, Archbishop of Westminster.
Every year on the feast of St. Stephen (December 26) we honor our Altar Guild who are part of the Archconfraternity of St. Stephen.
This year we have our first son receiving a medal. It’s been a long-time coming but we trust that His time is perfect. Two of his brothers are also part of the Guild and will continue to work diligently to advance. We look forward to the day when all five will be serving together.
Cui Servire Regnare Est
Latin for “He who serves reigns” or “To serve is to reign”.
It is in imitation of Our Lord, Who did not come to be served, but to serve. Blessed is he who serves the Lord at His Holy Altar.
CROWN OF MARTYRDOM
One of the symbols attributed to the Martyrs. It is the crowning triumph of giving one’s life completely to Christ. Saint Stephen has the distinction of being the Protomartyr, or the first Martyr to shed his blood and die for Christ and His Kingdom.
TWIN-SET OF PALMS
The Palm of Martyrdom is another symbol attributed to the Martyrs. The palm symbolizes the triumph of the spirit over the flesh in the earthly battle for eternal salvation.
CHI-RHO
An ancient monogram for the name of Christ, which combines the Greek letters X and P. It was the symbol of victory that Christ revealed to Constantine: In hoc signo vinces!” “In this sign you shall conquer!”
The Archconfraternity of St Stephen is an International Organization of Altar Servers which was founded as the Society of Altar Servers at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in London in 1904 by Father Hamilton McDonald. In 1905, Pope Pius X gave his approbation to the canonical establishment of the Guild of St Stephen for altar servers at Westminster Cathedral and in 1906, the Sacred Congregation of Rites made the Guild an Archconfraternity prima primaria which enabled all the parish branches to be linked with it. The Guild spread, and in 1934, Pope Pius XI enabled all Guilds of Altar Servers throughout the British Commonwealth to be affiliated with the Archconfraternity at Westminster.
The objectives of the Guild
To encourage, positively and practically, the highest standards of serving at the Church’s liturgy and so contribute to the whole community’s participation in a more fruitful worship of God. To provide altar servers with a greater understanding of what they are doing so that they may serve with increasing reverence and prayerfulness and thereby be led to a deepening response to their vocation in life. To unite servers of different parishes and dioceses for their mutual support and encouragement
Ceremony of the Enrollment of Altar Guild Members (abbreviated)
After the Credo, the candidates will kneel, facing the altar, on the floor of the sanctuary. The priest, will stand facing them on the predella. Two servers will stand nearby, bearing the medals on a tray and the holy water.
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Qui fecit coelum et terram.
Who hath made heaven and earth
…Server: With the help of God, I do so promise.
Server(s): I offer myself to God Almighty, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin and to our Holy Patron, Saint Stephen, and I promise to do my best to serve reverently, intelligently and punctually, having the glory of God and my own eternal salvation as my object.
Blessing of Medals
Oremus.
Domine Deus virtutem, bonorum largitor, et benedictionum infusor, te humiliter deprecamur ut haec numismata bene dicere et sancti ficare digneris: suppliciter rogantes ut famuli tui qui eadem in notam Al- taris reverentur inserviendi volunt induere, tibi officium pie et fideliter exequantur, et tandem ad te, coram Altari sublimi in Caelis, tuae gloriae participes perveniant gaudentes. Qui vivis et regnas, etc.
R. Amen.
Let us pray.
O Lord, God of hosts, bestower of all good things and giver of every blessing, humbly we beseech Thee that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless and to sanctify these medals; do Thou grant we beseech Thee, that Thy servants who wish to wear them as a token of their devout service at Thine Altar, may faithfully and reverently fulfill their duties to Thee until at length being made partakers of Thy glory, they may joyfully come to Thee before Thy heavenly Altar. Who livest and reignest, etc.
R. Amen.
He sprinkles the medals with holy water.
The candidates will now advance in turn and kneel on the predella. While conferring the medal the priest will say:
Accipe signum aggregationis ad sodalitatem Sancti Stephani, ut eo jugiter interveniente, vitam sanctam ducere valeas. Amen.
Receive the token of your admission into the Guild of Saint Stephen that, ever aided by his intercession, you may lead a holy life. Amen.
After enrollment, the candidates will genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament and return by the sides of the Altar to their place on the lowest step or on the floor of the sanctuary
Oremus.
Domine Jesu Christe, qui non venisti ministrari sed ministrare, qui stans in virtus Dei dextera ostendisti beato Stephano claritate fulgida ad- mirabilem tuam gloriam, concede, quaesumus, ministris tuis ut eadem fide qua ille, te colant celatum in augusto Sacramento, dum sanctis altaribus tuis fideliter subministrent, et accende corda eorum et mentes ad amorem gratiae tuae.
Qui vivis et regnas, etc.
Amen.
Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst come not to be ministered unto but to minister, and Who standing at the right hand of the power of God, didst manifest to Saint Stephen the radiant light of Thy wonderful glory: Grant to Thy servants, we beseech Thee, that while faithfully serving Thy holy Altars, they may, with faith like to his, worship Thee hidden in Thine adorable Sacra- ment, and in their hearts and their minds, do Thou, O Lord, enkindle the love of Thy grace.
Who livest and reignest, etc.
Amen.
Making the Sign of the Cross over the newly admitted servers, the priest says:
Bene dicat vos Deus, et custodiat corda vestra et intelligentias vestras, Pater, et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus. Amen.
May God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, bless you and safeguard you in heart and mind. Amen.
The priest then sprinkles the servers with holy water, after which, they return to their places (in choir.)
patron is St. Stephen
the Protomartyr, the
first to shed his blood for
Christ, and one of the Church’s first deacons
Guild Prayer
(To be recited daily)
O God, Who dost graciously accept the ministry of Thy servants and allow us to share in the service of Thine Altar: grant that, whilst in serving Thee we follow the example of our Patron, Saint Stephen, the first Martyr, we may, like him, come to see Thy Son standing at the right hand of Thy Majesty, and so enter into the Kingdom of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Hail Mary
Saint Stephen, Pray for us.
Saint Pius X, Pray for us.
